Process of revivifying fuller&#39;s earth



L.. A. TARBOX PROCESS OF REVIVIFYING FULLERS EARTH Jan. 4', 1927.

Filed April lOI 1925 Patented dan. 4l, 192?.

narran sr LEON A. TARBOX. OF OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO EMLENTON REFINJING COMPANY, OJE EMLENTON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF REVIVIFYING FULLERS EARTH.

Application filed April 10, 1925.

T he invention relates to improvements in a process for reviviyi-ng fullers earth.

The invention aims more particularly to provide such a process for the treatment of 'fullers earth' used in the decolorizing, retining or treatment ot' hydrocarbon oils.

In revivifying tullers earth it has in the past been the practice to introduce a body ot this earth to a retort and after initiating combustion in a bed of this earth controlling such combustion by introducing air and an inert gas in a definite proportion.

My invention more particularly relates to a revivit'ying process in which the fnllers earth undergoing treatment is maintained in a constant state of agitation While being subjected to a temperature sutlicient to re vivity the same Without causing a fusing of the earth particles.

ln the accompanying drawings 1l have shown an apparatus capable ot carrying out this process in which Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic view with parts in section.

1n carrying` out this process the spent and washed Jfullers earth that is to be revivitied is introduced to the hopper l and t'ed trom this hopper into a` pipe or conduit .2 disposed in a horizontal plane and having an elbow .il at one end connecting said pipe with a second parallel pipe -t provided with a discharge 5 controlled by a valve of any suitable type.

Disposed Within each pipe or conduit 2 and 4'is an agitator 6 operated by a hollow shaft perforated at necessary intervals, as indicated b v the reference character l0, to admit sutiicient air to cause combustion ot foreign matter in the earth7 for keeping the fuller-s earth in a constant state ot agitation during its passage through this pipe. A similar agitator' is, ot' course, also provided in the pipe 4 driven by a shat't 9.

'lhe revivityiug tubes 2 and 4 are supported in a iurnace retort 11 as clearly shown in the drawings. This retort has a lower hearth or partition walls 12 having a series ot' apertures 13 therein receiving the gas burners 14 leading trom the gas feeding pipe 15. ior heating the earth in the retort. 'lhe products ot combustion pass out through the Hue 17 to any suitable point ot' discharge. Gases and vapors discharge from the pipes or conduits Q and 4 through the outlets 18, such gases being recovered for subsequent Such burners provide the means Serial No. 22.134.

use, if desirable, or if they are of no use the gases may be discharged to the atmosphere.

ltn carrying out this process the spent and Washed earth which, of course, must be revivified if it is furthe-r used in connection With petroleum oils in manners Well known to the art, is introduced to the hopper A and feeds into the upper conduit 1B. r1`he shaft is rotated, causing this material to be constantly agitated While traveling through its tube and into the lower tube 4. In this tube the shaft 9 also causes aconstant movement and agitation of the material. The material during this treatment may be heated to any desirable temperature suchy as 1100o or 1400O F. This heat is produced by the burners 14, and the heat from the combustible materials *being burned from the fullers earth. 1t will also be apparent that during this treatment of the material air is being constantly admitted to the tubes 2 and 4 in which the fullers earth is undergoing agitation, causing the carbon to be burned out 'ot' this earth Without permitting a fusion thereoi". '.lhe agitation ot' the earth While at a temperature ot say from 11000 to 1400o l". destroys the tendency of the earth to fuse when the air is introduced thereto, permitting the. earth to be thoroughly revivitied in a minimum amount oi" time, and as before stated, permitting high temperatures to be used to completely revivity the earth without causing the said earth to sinter or fuse. 1t Will be understood that the earth is in a comminuted form and that the particles are constantly in agitation when being subjected to their heat treatment in the presence ot' the air which serves naturally to burn out combustible materials contained in the earth. The time of treatment. ot the material may vary from to 30 miuutes depending upon the temperature ot the earth entering theI chamber and the temperature maintained therein.

ltn operation other means other than the mechanical agitator may be employed tor keeping the earth in a constant state of agitation, and may, for instance, use a strong air blast or any medium by which the earth is kept in motion while undergoing treatment. p Having thus described my invention what 1 claim is:

1. A process for revivifying spent tuller`s earth, consisting in passing the earth through a passageway in indirect heat con- Y ductive relation with heating gases applied to the passageway, in introducing air to the material in the passageway at longitudinally spaced intervals while it is being heated in1 sucient quantity to burn combustible carbonaceous material contained therein, and in maintaining the earth in a state ot agitaticn during such treatment.

2. A. continuousl process tor revivitying spent ullers earth, consisting in passing the earth through an elongated passageway in indirect heat-conducting relation with heating gas applied to the passageway, in introducing air to the earth at longitudinal spaced intervals in such passageway, and in raising the temperature of the earth euthciently high to cause combustion ot' the carbon contained therein.

3.. A process for reyivifying spentl solid absorbent material consisting in introducing such material to a `closed chamber, in heating the material in said chamber by an indirect heat treatment, in introducing air te the material undergoing ltreatment in said chamber at longitudinally spaced intervals, and in discharging volatiles removed fram said material.

rela-3,299

4. A process 'or revivitying spent solid absorbent material consisting in introducing suchmaterial to a closed chamber, in heating the material in said chamber by an indirect heat treatment, in introducing air to thematerial undergoing treatment in said chamber at longitudinally spaced intervals, and in agitating the material during its treatment.

5. A process for'reviviitying spent solid absorbent material, consisting in introducing such material to a closed chamber, in heating the material in said chamber by an indirect heat treatment, and in introducing air to the material undergoing treatment in said chamber at spaced intervals throughout its length and in discharging vvolatiles removed trom such material.

6. A process :tor reviviitying spent solid absorbent material, consisting in intreducing such material to a chamber, in heating the material in said chamber and in introducing air to the material un ergoing treat* ment at spaced inervals throughout the length ot the, chamber, and in `discharging volatiles removed 'from said material.

ln testimony WherectF l aix my signature.

LEUN An TARBUX 

